For the Day I Take Your Hand
by donttalktomeimfangirling
Summary: In a distant future, there are the lucky people, and the not so lucky people. When a bitter, unlucky man and a trapped, lucky one meet by chance, the rules of the game seem to change before their eyes, and even the luckiest people's time seems to be running out. USUK mainly, but many other pairings.
1. Chapter 1

**Hey people, look who isn't dead! I've had this story mostly written for a really long time and just haven't gotten around to doing anything with it. Updates will be weekly. Probably. No promises. So hope you enjoy, review if you want to bring a little joy to my life. Or not. That's.. cool too. (sniffle) **

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The year is 8589. It has been almost 300 years now since the day the world ended. Humans are foolish. They think there is an answer for everything; a way to solve every problem. And sometimes they become so desperate that they make the problem worse. Innocent people were left to die, people who were simply unlucky. And that's what it all came down to in the end- luck.

The Plague had rushed through the land and destroyed most of the planet, leaving behind nothing but the strongest. Entire cities were lost and destroyed, burning to the ground as the disease caused desperation and panic. There was no cure. There was no fixing it. There was only saving the people that were still left to be saved. These people soon built huge cities to keep safe from the dying, infectious people outside their walls. Safe havens for those still safe. Once the people outside had died of the incurable diseases, the ones inside were safe. So for a long time, the people in the walls moved and grew and repopulated the earth.

For awhile, life went back to normal. People got jobs, families grew, and resources from around the world became dedicated to six separate cities; Arcadia, Eden, Eldorado, Goshen, Zion, and Elysium. Arcadia was located in what used to be Russia, Eden in past China. Eldorado was located in Brazil, Goshen in Australia, and Zion in Libya. Finally, there was Elysium, located in America. Each city had there own ways of making money depending on their location, but that's unimportant now. No, now an explanation of what happened when there was no more room for the booming population.

People had a lot of children then, trying to get back the population of earth. The problem was that after a hundred years, the cities were no longer able to hold them all. Traveling between the cities was difficult, as the only way was city sanctioned aircraft, and expanding the cities was out of question. Not enough resources were left for everyone to live comfortably. So Officials, leaders of the cities, met together on a small island that used to be the United Kingdom, and decided on a plan of action for overpopulation.

Every family would be allowed to have one child. Only one. And if this command wasn't obeyed? They would set up other cities. Outside the walls.

But they wouldn't be like the six main ones. They would be slums, shambles, shacks set up to house the people that no longer fit in the safe havens. Families who had more than one child were breaking the law. They would be punished by having their second child sent to the outside. There would be no government except that of the nearest City to rule them. The police would be forceful, but none such as the Border Patrol. The men and women that would be set along the wall to keep the 'Unnecessaries' out of the City. Force would be allowed, and they could stop at nothing to keep the others out.

At first, everything went alright. Families began having fewer children and the ones that had more than one had them taken. The smaller cities were alright in the beginning. Wood and brick houses given to the unlucky children, looked after by volunteers until they were old enough to watch after other outcasts. That was how the cycle worked; cast out from the City, brought up by a previous unnecessary, then move on to raise another. Food was scarce, but there was enough. That is, until the people in the Cities grew cocky.

They heard that the towns outside weren't all that bad, and a more reckless group of 'Luckies' as they came to be known, was created. They had children at young ages and had many. The population of the outside grew ridiculously, so a new idea was formed by the Officials. The first child could stay in the City; the second child would be taken. If there was a third child, it too could stay. The number would trade off, one being kept and the other taken. And still the conditions in what became known as 'Dystopia', all of the space outside of the cities, became worse and worse. There were too many people and too few resources left on earth for the Officials to keep the Cities comfortable and Dystopia liveable. So the outside was once again cut off, but this time with people still alive on the other side.

Police forces were pulled out, leaving only the Border Patrol, who did an excellent job of keeping the desperate people out of the Cities. Dystopia fell into ruin and hell. People stole and fought and were never punished by anyone but each other. People died of hunger, thirst, and disease. The City's gates only opened when children were brought to the hell hole that was Dystopia. But that didn't stop the Unnecessaries. They got in anyway.

They stole from the Luckies, either out of need or spite. The people in the Cities were rich and healthy. So what if an apple or two went missing from the ornaments on their tables once in awhile? But the law wouldn't stand for it, and if an Unnecessary was caught on the City side of the wall, they were immediately (and publicly) executed. And so the world kept turning, rebuilding itself into a hell on earth for the unlucky people, and a utopia for the lucky ones.

Now there was the occasional problem; twins. Two children born at the same time and not by the fault of the parents. For as far as the society had come in ridding everyone of disease and problems, they had yet to stop people from having twins. So it was decided that at random, one would be kept and the other left in Dystopia. Not by any fault; just fairness to the rest of the community that had to give up children if they had more than one. So one lucky twin would stay, while the other was taken.

It is with one such twin we find ourselves with at the beginning of our story. The lucky one, a young man about 19 years old, living in the City of Elysium. He lived in a huge mansion with his mother and father. Everything about the family would have been normal; if the garden in the back didn't lead directly into the Wall. The giant stone structure that separated Elysium from Dystopia. That separated him from his twin brother. All his life, his parents had made it known that there was another son on the other side of the Wall, and all his life, the boy had wanted to go there. Very few citizens actually knew what Dystopia was like, and the boy had always wanted to know. What would it be like to live on that side of the Wall?

For someone so privileged, the boy didn't take well to fancy living. He preferred to roll in the mud and play games with his friends when he was younger, not be locked in some stuffy drawing room drinking tea. He hated tea, so he constantly made a secret switch to coffee. Anyway, the young man had often dreamed of seeing Dystopia, of finding his brother, and an adventure. So as this story starts, we see a handsome young, blue eyed, blonde haired boy staring at the Wall of Elysium, preparing for his friend's party that night, wishing nothing more than to be on the other side. What he didn't know was there was another handsome man, a little older and a little shorter, with blonde hair and emerald eyes standing with an identical copy of the Elysium boy, wishing the exact same thing, but from the other side of the Wall. And he wasn't simply wishing. He was planning on how to make it come true.


	2. Chapter 2

**Well then, here's another chapter. And that's all I have to say about that. **

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7pm Elysium

"Alfred dear! Francis is here to take you to that party tonight!" Alfred F. Jones grumbled at the voice of his doting mother, who yanked him out of his daydreaming. He had been sitting in his room staring out his window at the Wall, thinking of what he could do on the other side. What wonderful surprises waited for him if he could only get there? But now he was back, sitting on his four poster bed, dressed in a suit and tie, about to attend one of Elysium's biggest parties of the year; the Governor's birthday. The governor was in charge of the City he or she lived in, and tonight was Elysium's governor's fortieth birthday party, hosted in the biggest mansion in the center of the City.

Alfred was now old enough to attend and his friend Francis Bonnefoy was coming to pick him up. Francis had no siblings, but had the same interest on the other side of the Wall that Alfred did, which was possibly the only thing the two had in common. Francis was... odd. That was the only way to put it. Alfred grabbed the neatly wrapped gift he had on his dresser and walked down the stairs to the foyer.

The Jones family lived much like every other family in Elysium. A mansion with vaulted ceilings, chandeliers, ornate decorations, huge windows, and stunning gardens. Alfred descended the marble staircase to the ground floor to see his mother standing in the doorway with Francis Bonnefoy, also dressed in a suit and tie. Alfred's mother was beautiful. She had long brown hair and the same sapphire eyes as Alfred. Her demeanor was kind and welcoming, though Alfred had seen her cry sometimes at night while staring at the Wall. She loved Alfred with all her heart, but that didn't mean she didn't miss Matthew.

Francis had shoulder length blonde hair and a very cocky outlook on life. He assumed everyone loved him and wanted to 'get with him' as he put it. His huge blue eyes were filled with mischief and lust, and he was well known as somewhat of a pervert. Not that it mattered all that much to Alfred; Francis was the only other person who wanted to get to the other side of the Wall, though he never disclosed the reason. He was dressed up in his suit with his white collared shirt untucked and his tie messy. He was right about one thing; girls and boys alike fawned over him.

"Ah, there you are mon ami. Ready for the soiree tonight?" Alfred grinned. The party was going to be huge, if a little too fancy for his liking, but there was bound to be alcohol there, something he was not yet old enough to legally obtain. No one would ask questions after a few hours and most people were already drunk. Francis was 23, meaning that if all else failed he would be able to swipe some booze for Alfred. "You bet. This is gonna be awesome." Alfred kissed his mother on the cheek. "I'll be back early tomorrow, so don't wait up." "Don't get into any trouble, alright dear?" Her eyes were slightly brimmed with tears. She was overprotective of Alfred as he was her only child. Alfred rolled his eyes. "Yes mother. Bye!" He ran out to the waiting limousine before she could say another word, Francis following behind him laughing.

Alfred had never really been to anything quite like the party that awaited him at the governor's home. Elegant dinnerware, waiters with endless food, and high society people milled about, talking about everything and nothing at the same time. How could they all manage to be so shallow? Francis pulled him thru the throngs of rich aristocrats to talk find their other friends; Ludwig, Kiku and Romano.

Romano was also a twin like Alfred, but he was much more down to earth about their circumstances. He had long ago stopped entertaining the idea he would see his brother again, though there was always the menial hope. Ludwig too had a brother, but their situation had turned out very strangely. There was no rule that the older sibling had to be the one to remain in the city- that was just always what happened. Gilbert was much older than Ludwig, 8 years in fact, and when his little brother had arrived, he offered to go to Dystopia in his place. Of course there were many complications, but eventually it was allowed. Ludwig was never able to forgive himself as he thought it was his fault his brother had to give up the luxuries of Elysium. Neither had ever thought about going to the other side until Alfred and Francis had brought the idea up.

Finally there was Kiku. Kiku was Alfred's favorite by far, even though they were complete opposites. He was down to earth and clever, always challenging Alfred to be the best. Alfred considered the boy his best friend, though the five of them were inseparable anyway. Francis and Alfred spotted Ludwig's blonde hair and broad shoulders before anything else. "Hey Ludwig!" The German man turned and smiled, waving them over. "Konichiwa Alfred-san. Francis-san. How are you?" Alfred pulled the smaller boy into a hug, which Kiku awkwardly returned. "Great, how bout you? Still working on your little science project?" Kiku scowled slightly but then regained his composure. "I'll have you know that if you ever plan to, you know," He leaned in before whispering, "the Wall," then straightened again. "Then you are going to need my 'little science project."

Kiku had a way with reading people. For whatever reason, he could simply look at someone and tell exactly what they were thinking and how they felt. He had used this gift on Alfred many times, only one being when Alfred begged him to help him get over the Wall. At first it had seemed impossible, reckless, and stupid, but Kiku had seen the desperation and need in Alfred. This wasn't about being a 'hero', like most of his silly adventures were. Like when he decided to be Robin Hood and dragged Francis and Kiku to steal some baked goods. They did manage to get away with it, but once they had them, they realized that no one in the city couldn't afford them. So they ended up just eating them and eventually being chased by the baker with a broom when Francis decided to ask the man for a napkin with which to wipe the crumbs of the stolen pastry off his face. No, he wanted to see the rest of the world, to find his brother. So Kiku had started devising a plan.

There was one particular Border Patrol member that was rather fond of Kiku. His name was Yao and he had agreed to help them over the Wall. Unfortunately, there were three guards posted at every exit, meaning they would have to find away around the first two before Yao could help. That was the project. A simple sleeping draft that Yao would give the other guards and then himself so as to not raise suspicion. The problem was that this 'simple sleeping draft' had become an impossible concoction. Three months Kiku had worked tirelessly. Drugs were forbidden outside of the hospitals and medical centers in Elysium, so the only way Kiku had been able to get his hands on anything that could knock the men out was to fake illness. And there were only so many times a week he could pretend to feel queasy and avoid suspicion.

But he finally had enough to create a non-lethal medication that would knock them out for a full twenty four hours. That was how long they would have in Dystopia. Fitting in on the other side of the Wall was going to be difficult though, as no one dressed as an 'unnecessary' for Halloween. For the most part they didn't even know what they looked like. Not that the medication was done quite yet anyway, so they still had time to figure out where to get five outsider looking outfits. Romano refused to show it, but the prospect of seeing his twin, separated at birth, appealed to him as much as Alfred, and Ludwig wanted to find Gilbert and properly thank him for officially being the world's best big brother. Of course, there was no guarantee they would magically find their brothers. Dystopia was HUGE and they may be on the other side of the planet. But it was a known fact that most Unnecessaries stayed close to the city the were born in, so they were hopeful.

"In about a week, it will be ready. We need to find disguises still, and-" Kiku was cut off as the lights dimmed and the mayor walked onto the stage. The whole audience applauded a he went into his speech. "Welcome friends. Tonight is a night of celebration. Not of me. Of the City. Elysium is our City, our own Utopia. The Wall that surrounds us keeps us from the dangers of the outside. Disease, famine, flood. All are gone in the Cities. So tonight we toast," He raised a glass of champagne, the entire room following suit, "To the City of Elysium." "To the City of Elysium." Glasses were clinked as people returned to chatting. For the rest of the night, Alfred wandered about, thinking of what could be waiting for him on the other side of the impossible Wall. Was it really that bad outside that they had to build a Wall to keep people out? It wasn't fair that families were torn apart ...

A flash of blonde hair caught Alfred's eye as he stared out the window toward the Wall. It had moved swiftly from from behind a curtain to under a table. Continuing to look forward, Alfred kept the table in his peripheral vision, waiting for the blonde hair to return. And return it did. Once again, the person darted from the table to a window, silently slipping out onto the outdoor window ledge. A pale hand came thru the window, seemingly trying to grab an apple from a decorative basket. People kept walking by at inopportune moments, causing the hand to retreat many times. Alfred could barely contain his curiosity. Anyone could come to this party. Why was this person trying to steal food, and remain unseen?

Nonchalantly, Alfred wandered over to the window with the pale arm. He leaned against the wall and stole a quick glance out onto the window sill. What he saw made his heart skip a beat, whether in amazement or fear he wasn't sure. A boy maybe a few years older than himself was crouched there. His huge green eyes were squinted in concentration, two bushy eyebrows coming together to form a frustrated V. His hair was a bleach blonde, like he had been in the sun for long periods of time. Though in the back of his mind Alfred made a mental note that he was rather handsome, what made him stop was the state the boy was in.

His hair was matted and fell past his ears and kept trying to cover his eyes. His obviously pale skin was covered in dirt and dust, making the white teeth of the scowl he had on his face all the more noticeable. His clothes didn't seem to be clothes at all- more like dirty dish rags sewn together to make something that resembled a pair of trousers. The shirt was probably once white, but was now covered in dirt and reddish brown stains. It was open slightly, allowing Alfred to see his toned chest.

All of this took about a second for Alfred to comprehend, but he continued to stare. Why would someone dress like that? It was an abomination! No one from Elysium would be caught dead in rags... Unless he wasn't from Elysium. Maybe he was from some other City. Or maybe, just maybe, he was from Dystopia. If so, this was insane. There was no way he and the other Elysiums would ever fit in on that side, not if they had to look like that. That's when Alfred noticed how skinny the boy was. His ribs were visible thru the open shirt, and his arms and legs looked like toothpicks. He had to have been from Dystopia then. There were no starving people in any of the Cities.

Alfred didn't know why he did what he did then. All he knew was that there was an opportunity, a real chance here, and that there was a starving young man in need of a hero. What he didn't know of course, was that the next action he made would change the course of the world, creating a simple ripple that would expand outward. He didn't mean for it to happen, but when it did, he wouldn't regret it. There would be no time for regret.

Alfred grabbed an apple from the basket, causing the blonde boy to shrink back into the outside cover of darkness. Standing in front of the window, Alfred held the apple behind his back towards the outside. Nothing happened for a long time and Alfred was afraid he had scared the boy off. He cleared his throat nervously and whispered behind him, "Take it." Still, nothing happened. Finally Alfred felt the apple slowly leave his hand, though he still saw and heard nothing. Being sly, Alfred smirked and took another apple. "I assume you would like more?" Absolute silence. Alfred sighed and made to put to apple back. "If you won't speak, then you obviously don't need this food badly enough-" "Wait."

Alfred's breathing hitched as he heard the quiet voice whisper. It sounded of British descent, a bit like another one of Alfred's friends William. He found his voice and spoke. "My name is Alfred Jones. What's yours?" The voice scoffed lowly. "Like I would tell a Lucky my name. You'd just turn around and tell your precious Officials that I was here and I would be executed. Thank you, but no thank you." His previously soft voice was still quiet, but now dripping with venom. Alfred frowned. What had he done to this guy already? "Im not going to turn you in. I just wanna talk. I've never seen someone from Dystopia before. How did you get into the City?" Alfred could almost feel the cruel grin boring into his back. "Trade secret love."

Alfred turned slightly, hoping to catch a closer glimpse of the man, but only succeeded in causing him to slink into the shadows. "Sorry, sorry. Please, I need some help and I think you could help me out." The green eyed man laughed. "I don't think I quite understand. Help with what exactly?" Alfred breathed in and said, "Dystopia. I need to know the whole truth about that place, everything that happens there, what people do. I know you could tell me." The man laughed again. "Why the bloody hell would you want to know all that? Isn't not knowing the reason you people live in your little Utopias?" Alfred grimaced, then spoke again. "I can give you this entire fruit basket if you will meet me tomorrow night." The boy rolled his eyes, though Alfred couldn't see. "Or I could just steal the whole thing and not put my neck on the chopping block to meet a Lucky In the middle of a city that doesn't want me." Alfred shrugged and held another apple behind him. "I'm not going to sell you out. I need this information and I can bring more food tomorrow for you."

He could tell the man was thinking about his proposal. It would give him free food tonight and tomorrow, something he desperately needed. After a minute he sighed heavily, though he was still speaking just above a whisper. "Tomorrow, noon, the old fabric factory. I'm sure you have been told not to go near that place, but if you are going to be sneaking food to an Unnecessary, then you better be prepared to do some dangerous things. " He spat the word 'unnecessary' out with malice. "I'll be there." Alfred took the basket from the ornament and very quickly held it behind his back, having it snatched from his hands in mere seconds. "You didn't tell me your name you know." The green eyed boy smiled once more, finally meeting Alfred's gaze. There was a lot of pain in his eyes, and a lot of anger. But they also shone with a light that Alfred had never seen anywhere else, an emotion he couldn't place. "I know."

And then he was gone. Alfred stuck his head outside to look for him, but it was like he had disappeared into thin air. He stayed like that until Kiku appeared behind him. "Alfred-san. Why is your head outside the window?" Alfred slowly turned to face his friend and smiled. "I dropped a fruit basket." He gestured to the empty ornament, causing Kiku to roll his eyes. "Sometimes Alfred F. Jones. Sometimes." They headed back to the party, but for the rest of the night the only thing Alfred could think about was the strange blond, green eyed man he would be meeting again the next day, and the adventure that followed so closely behind.


	3. Chapter 3

**Wow i'm so on top of things, it's hella late here but it's still Monday so suck it, I am on time. I need sleep but that's def not gonna happen. Sigh. Enjoy yo.**

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7 pm- Same day, three hours earlier

"So, are you coming Matt?" A green eyed boy stood staring at the Wall, the gateway to enough food to feed everyone in his little 'family' for at least tonight. As long as Feliciano doesn't get to it before anyone else. "Not tonight, Arthur. It's the governor's birthday mon ami. The fewer people that go, the better." Matthew Williams stood beside him, violet eyes shining in the fading light and dirty blonde hair matted with dirt. "Do me a favor though. If you see my brother, Alfred, tell me if he's ok." Arthur rolled his eyes. "He lives in the city. Of course he's ok." Matthew shrugged. "I'd still like to hear it." Arthur gave Matt a quick hug, careful not to hold on too tight. "I'll be back in a few hours. Make sure everyone's home by then, alright? We are going to eat well tonight."

Arthur Kirkland made his way to the base of the Wall, using all of his acquired skills of sneaking to make it past the Border Patrol. Once there he made his way to a patch of cement that had long ago been chipped away by other Dystopia citizens and replaced every time it was used so it was never discovered. Underneath was a tunnel for one that led to the inside. Under the cover of darkness, Arthur had made this trip hundreds of times. There were lots of mouths to feed back home and as one of the oldest (besides his totally useless brother Seamus) he was in charge of taking care of them. Gilbert could have helped as well, but he sent most of his time earning money by cheating at poker. In all honesty it did help, but it wasn't nearly as dangerous as Arthur's job.

Seamus was Arthur's only blood relative in Dystopia. His parents had really messed up, ending with four sons; his oldest brother Angus and his third brother William still lived in Elysium, while Seamus and Arthur were left outside. For awhile Seamus and Arthur had lived together with an older Unnecessary, but people kept coming to join them. A few years later, Matthew Jones had arrived on their doorstep, twin number two of the Jones family. He had escaped his surrogate family, the Williams, and come to Arthur's home because they were abusive. So then there were three boys.

Once they had grown up, they lived on their own. Matthew was constantly sick and Seamus was horribly irresponsible, so Arthur had taken on the role of keeping them alive. It didn't get easier when a little Italian boy named Feliciano had showed up. The kid was always hungry, but Arthur didn't turn him away. He was good at pick pocketing, so at least he payed for himself mostly. Eventually they were also joined by Gilbert, a German (sorry, PRUSSIAN) boy who had a ridiculously huge ego, but was good at cheating at cards, and Antonio, a Spanish kid with a sweet disposition and a knack for lying.

Arthur didn't spend all his time on the other side of the wall. He was skinny and fast, but very good in a fight. So a few years ago he started participating in the nightly rewards brawls at the local bar. People would bet on who would win and the winner got payed. Not much, but enough that a few bruises and a broken rib once in awhile was worth it. Even that was less dangerous than going into Elysium. But tonight was a prize Arthur refused to pass up. The governor's birthday party.

Running silently thru the streets, Arthur moved from shadow to shadow, eventually arriving unseen at the mansion. He scowled at the sight of the grand home. How could these people live so large and leave so little for the unlucky people outside? It was shallow and pathetic. Arthur climbed silently over the fence and pulled himself up to a balcony, stealing inside. He ducked behind a piano, keeping an eye out for anyone who might see him. He darted past a curtain, scowling as it moved when he ran past, to a table and then finally out a window onto a small ledge. Balancing carefully, Arthur began trying to reach an apple from the fruit basket on display. Leaving fruit as a decoration. How wasteful.

Unfortunately, there were too many people walking by, people that would notice a thin pale hand reaching for an apple thru a window. And notice someone did. A tall man with huge blue eyes and dirty blonde hair came to the window and took an apple. Arthur slid against the wall, hoping he would go unnoticed. But it was far too late for that. The man held the apple behind his back, offering to the seemingly empty open window. Was this man... giving him an apple? Did he know what he was? Arthur stayed absolutely still, hoping he would either just go away or would call the guard. At least that would all make sense. After a while, the man seemed to be impatient and said "Take it." Arthur still refused to move, but not for long. If he was just going to make it easier on him, then it as this Lucky's fault. So very slowly he reached out and took the apple.

Arthur spun to make his escape as the man scoffed and said, "I assume you would like more?" Well of course he wanted more, but this simply had to be a trick to get him to stay and be arrested. There was no mercy shown to Dystopians found inside the City. It was execution for sure. Arthur was silent for too long though because the boy sighed and moved to replace the fruit. "If you won't speak, then you obviously don't need this food badly enough-" Panicking, Arthur hissed, "Wait." He almost smirked as the man stiffened. First time he had his ears tainted with the sound of an Unnecessary. "My name is Alfred Jones. What's yours?"

Arthur didn't let his shock show, but inside his head was buzzing. This was little Mattie's twin? They did look similar, at least what little Arthur had seen of him did. Well at least he could actually report the Alfred was fine back to his constantly worried little brother. More than fine by the look of those muscles. Instead of speaking his thoughts, Arthur snickered. "Like I would tell a Lucky my name. You'd just turn around and tell your precious Officials that I was here and I would be executed. Thank you, but no thank you." That had come out very cruel, but he didn't care. Why did this man deserve to be healthy and well off while his angel of a brother had to suffer thru disease and hunger every day? He watched the boy frown in the reflection of the window. "Im not going to turn you in. I just wanna talk. I've never seen someone from Dystopia before. How did you get into the City?"

As if. That was the next thing he would do. Call the guards and condemn him to death. And yet he couldn't help but want to hear where this was going. Hoping he was something like Matthew, he grinned and said, "Trade secret love." Alfred started to turn and Arthur pressed against the shadows again. "Sorry, sorry. Please, I need some help and I think you could help me out." Arthur's eyebrows raised. That wasn't exactly what he had been expecting. He laughed and said, "I don't think I quite understand. Help with what exactly?" He man breathed in heavily and whispered, "Dystopia. I need to know that whole truth about that place, everything that happens there, what people do. I know you could tell me." Arthur rolled his eyes and laughed. What was this boy after that he needed to know anything about the hell that was so close to his heaven?

"Why the bloody hell would you want to know all that? Isn't not knowing the reason you people live in your little Utopias?" He heard a quiet wince, then a reply. "I can give you this entire fruit basket if you will meet me tomorrow night." Arthur rolled his eyes, but they were also filled with a greedy shine. It was a tempting offer, but he had to play this right. "Or I could just steal the whole thing and not put my neck on the chopping block to meet a Lucky in the middle of a city that doesn't want me." Alfred shrugged, seemingly indifferent. "I'm not going to sell you out. I need this information and I can bring more food tomorrow for you."

Two days of free food? And a lot of it . It seemed worth it. He would have to come back to get more anyway, so why not do it for free? "Tomorrow, noon, the old fabric factory. I'm sure you have been told not to go near that place, but if you are going to be sneaking food to an Unnecessary, then you better be prepared to do some dangerous things." He smiled at the look on the boys face, but the smile left when he said, "I'll be there." Arthur turned to leave, but Alfred turned to say to him, "You never told me your name, you know." Arthur smiled as he finally met the blue gaze looking at him. "I know." And then he jumped.

Arthur didn't stop running until he got to the Wall. Crawling under the cement, he kept moving swiftly, holding onto the basket of fresh fruit for dear life. Finally he burst thru the wooden door that led to the small cabin the six boys lived in. There was a kitchen, a bedroom, a bathroom, and a living room, but they all slept on the floor in the living room, using the bedroom as anything else. Storage, relaxing, privacy. It wasn't much, but it was home. Matthew was lying in the corner and Feliciano was trying to light a fire. Antonio was standing by with a bucket of water, just in case the usual 'Vargas Catastrophe' (aka, something blows up) and would need to be contained. Matt looked up to see a heavily breathing Arthur with something behind his back struggling to stay upright in the door frame. "Oh, you made it!" Antonio and Feliciano glanced up and smiled hugely at Arthur and abandoned their task.

"Ve~ welcome home Arthur! Antonio and I were trying to get a fire going." Antonio nodded though he looked wary of the flint in Feli's hand. "Amigo, we were going to start heating the water and drop in the leftover lettuce from last week. The butcher chased us away again today saying we still haven't payed him back and to stay far away until we can pay." Arthur slumped to the floor, a huge grin splitting across his face. Antonio and Matt looked at each other worriedly. "Compadre, are you alright?" Arthur, what is it?" Arthur looked at them, an unknown gleam in his eyes. "Get the rest of the boys and I'll show you. Don't worry about that soup either."

Antonio and Matt looked confused, but Feli smiled and ran out of the house yelling, "GILBERT, SEAMUS!" "Arthur, what is going on?" Seamus yelled as Feli dragged him inside. He looked worn out and tired, glad to be home after an apparently long day. Arthur's older brother worked in the quarry outside of town, the main harvesting ground for Elysium's building materials. He wasn't incredibly responsible, but he worked harder than any of them when it came to menial labor. Besides, one of them had to have a legal job. Gilbert was grinning as he dropped seven silver coins into the jar they kept locked in a trunk. "Seven pieces today. I've done worse. Now, what is this Feli said about not having soup tonight?" Arthur gestured for them all to sit around the small kitchen table. After they were all seated, he dropped the fruit in front of them.

Stunned silence filled the room. This was more food than most of them had seen in... well ever. "... Arthur this is amazing!" Matthew was the first to speak as he tentatively reached for an apple. "Is it all from Elysium? How did you steal this much?" The questions were coming fast and Arthur held up his hands to silence them. "The story of how I got it is even more amazing." Arthur looked Matthew directly in the eye. "Alfred F. Jones is doing perfectly. Apparently he also has a knack for seeing people who don't want to be seen. I was simply going for one apple, and a blundering blonde Lucky walks over. I thought for sure I was dead."

Everyone was leaning in, food momentarily forgotten, wrapped up as they were in the adventurous tale. "And then the Lucky inconspicuously hands me an apple. Standing in front of the window, passing it behind him without a second thought. I didn't take it at first, but it was just too easy. And then he offered more, eventually introducing himself as Alfred F. Jones. Blonde hair, blue eyes, tan skin, easy smile." Mattie was beaming, trying to imagine the brother he had never known. Arthur continued. "Then he offered more food. Tomorrow."

Everyone gasped. "Just like that? He sure is naive." Antonio was biting his lip, worried that it could be a trap. Arthur nodded. "Of course it isn't that easy. He wants to... learn about Dystopia." Everyone, even Matt looked at him in disbelief. "... WHY?" Arthur shrugged and tossed an orange between his hands, almost dropping it a few times. He had never had extra food to play with before.

"Who cares? Maybe he wants to change things. For the worse or for the better. Maybe he wants to obliterate Dystopia, or he wants to do medical experiments on us. It doesn't matter. He is willing to give us food in exchange for a daily schedule. Sounds worth it to me." Seamus was running his hand over the stubble on his chin. "Nothin is ever that easy little brother. Promise you'll be careful?" Matthew looked incredulously at the red head. "You aren't seriously saying he should go back, are you?" Arthur looked at his best friend, eyebrows raised in surprise. "I thought you would trust Alfred the most out of all of us."

Matthew smiled sadly. "He is a Lucky. It doesn't matter if I want to trust him or not. I don't really know him. I can hope for the best and that there isn't going to be a trap set, but I can't say there won't be and that worries me." Again Arthur shrugs. "I'd have to go back for food anyway. I can skirt around the meeting place for a few hours, and show late. If he stays and no one asks why no one has shown, then and only then will I talk to him. How does that sound?" Matthew still didn't look exactly pleased, but he knew how stubborn Arthur could get, so he simply nodded.

"Enough with the somber talk boys! Arthur risked his life, once again, to bring food to the table and MAN is tonight's inviting." The albino gambler looked like he would start drooling if no one let him eat that particular peach soon. "Let's eat!"

Arthur sat on the porch, staring at the Wall. The lights were still on in Elysium, while in Dystopia the gas lamps went out at ten o'clock. The wooden door creaked behind him and Seamus dropped to the step next to his brother. They sat in silence for a few minutes, looking over towards where the rest of their family lived in prosperity. "Do you ever wish that they had just killed us?" Arthur's eyes didn't leave the Wall as he said this, and Seamus' didn't stray as he answered. "No." Arthur raised his eyebrows, waiting for an explanation.

"Our parents.. yeah. They messed up. But how many boys livin in Dystopia can say they have a date with a Lucky tomorra?" Seamus elbowed his brother and Arthur laughed,something he didn't do much anymore. He missed laughing. "Yeah. A forbidden meeting between a Lucky and an Unnecessary. Real Romeo and Juliet going on here." Seamus stared at the sky before speaking again.

"There are days though. There are days I curse our parents, the Officials, the world. I curse em all fir givin us the short end of the stick." He wrapped his arm around Arthur's shoulder, letting Arthur rest his head on his older brother's collarbone, one knee pulled to his chest and the other hanging off the wobbly step. "And then I remember that I have the five best little brother's I could ever ask fir." Arthur smiled sadly and he stared at the stars. "The Luckies don't have that anymore. Real families. I can't say I'm glad we're out here. But I'm glad I'm not a brainless Lucky, oblivious to the horror going on in their own backyards."

Seamus squeezed Arthur's shoulder and ruffled his hair, then went inside. Arthur remained on the front porch, looking into the sky. The stars shone more brightly in Dystopia than Elysium. It was too bright in the city to see them. It was like what Seamus had said. Out here, you could see everything. You weren't blinded by the pretty lights that hide the dark shadows that are only a few meters away.


	4. Chapter 4

**12 noon, Elysium**

Alfred checked his ornate watch every other second. The blonde boy struck him as someone who would show, whether from curiosity or need for the food he had to offer. Alfred had brought a regular picnic lunch to share with the Dystopian, hoping to open him up. But that involved his new ally to show up first. It was past noon. Maybe he had forgotten? It seemed too important a thing to forget. Maybe they told time differently in Dystopia? No, the original Dystopians knew what Utopian time was. Then where was he?

It was almost one when he caught sight of the boy. He had climbed thru the ceiling and was walking like an acrobat along the rusting beams of the factory. All the factories over on the east side were scheduled to be demolished and were pretty dangerous. But the Dystopian ran across them with practised ease, the beams never making a sound under his weight. He jumped down from beams to ladders to ledges and finally to the floor.

Alfred beamed and waved, earning a raised eyebrow. "Why are you so late? You said noon!" The man shrugged, his gorgeous emerald eyes flitting from side to side like he was looking for something. "I had to make sure you had come alone. I'm still not positive but I smelled something wonderful and decided that if this was a trap I may as well die full."

Alfred laughed, surprised the man had said do much in one sentence. "It's ok. I don't expect you to blindly trust me." "Then you aren't as idiotic as you come off." Alfred smiled and pulled out a plate of chicken wings, fresh baked rolls, and his mother's homemade apple pie. "I noticed you liked the apples yesterday, so I brought apple pie." The man slowly sat down across from Alfred. "Hey... wait, I still don't know your name!"

The man smiled softly and shook his head. "No names for you. I still don't trust you completely. No one thinks about Dystopia by choice. There must be something very wrong with you." Alfred pouted. "Then what should I call you?" His guest seemed to think about it for awhile and eventually smiled, a little cruelly. "How about Governor." Alfred laughed again. It surprised him how easily the Unnecessary could make him laugh.

"Alright gov'na. Eat. We need to get some meat on those bones." Governor raised his bushy eyebrows again. "We? There is no 'we' in this. I tell you what you want to know and then I'm getting the bloody hell out of Dodge." Alfred raised his eyes at the strange statement but pulled out food for Governor all the same. "Here. I brought chicken, salad, bread, and a little wine I pinched from the party last night." Governor stared at the food, then grabbed the entire basket and took off running.

"Hey! Wait! That's not the food for you to take back!" He was already half way up to the ceiling, but he stopped at the words. Slowly he turned to look at Alfred, disbelief written on his face. Alfred smiled and went over to one of the old storage racks, revealing another basket full of fruits, breads and meats. It was enough to make Governor scramble back down, though still a bit wary.

"Why offer more to me when I was so willing to break our deal for just this?" Alfred shrugged and sat back down, motioning for Governor to follow. He slowly sat down as Alfred responded. "You need as much food as you can get. So eat the meal you just tried to steal from me," Governor scowled as he dropped the basket in poorly hidden embarrassment, "and when you answered all my questions you can have the rest."

Alfred smirked in triumph as he started into one of the rolls he had brought. This feeling was short lived though, as Governor simply stared at the food, a mix of awe and sadness on his face. "... Eat, It's ok." The boy bit his lip, looked like he was trying to decide something, and then shook his head. "That wouldn't be fair." Alfred looked at him as him with confusion. "What do you mean?" Governor shook his head and said, "I can't eat without them. It wouldn't be fair for me to get more."

Alfred saw an opening in this statement, a start into the life of the Dystopian. "Who is them?" Governor seemed to struggle with whether he should talk or not, but eventually heaved a sigh and started talking. "My brothers. All five of them." Alfred choked on the wine he was sipping. "Five brothers?! That's insane! Your parents must have been crazy!" Governor laughed quietly and shook his head. "No no, they aren't all my actual brothers." Alfred gestured for more information.

"I'm not giving names, so don't ask. Only one of the boys is related to me, the second son of the family where I am the fourth. So yes, my parents still didn't exactly think things thru. So I grew up in the same house as my older brother, along with... another boy. He was really small and sick all the time and had just run from his abusive Dystopian family. We took him in after we left our old house, and were slowly joined by a crazy little Italian boy, an obnoxious albino, and a happy Spanish man. And they became my family."

Alfred smiled slightly at the sounds of the boy talking so animatedly about his life. How bad could it be out there if they all lived together in such close families? "So you won't eat because they won't get any of it?" Governor shook his head and leaned back against the wall. Alfred saw his ribs thru his shirt and his skin was too pale. "Will you still answer my questions?" Governor's eyes were closed but his smile grew a little at the question. "I still don't quite understand why you want to know anything about us. You were lucky. You live in the city. Why would you purposely torture yourself with this knowledge?"

Alfred decided he loved Governor's voice. It was so proper and seemed out of place with his appearance. "Please just answer me." Governor shrugged and gestured for him to ask anything. Alfred sighed deeply. "Do you know someone by the name of Matthew Jones?" He saw Governor tense, if only slightly. His teeth clenched as he responded. "No. I don't know anyone by that name." Alfred sighed sadly. "Ok. Just wondering." He thought he saw a flash of guilt on the blonde's face but it was gone as quickly as it came.

"Ok. What is it really like out there?" Governor opened his huge green eyes. "Do you really want to know? You are so safe and so naive here in your little paradise." His voice was venomous again. "Once you know what I have to tell you, you can't go back." Alfred met the Unnecessary directly in the eye as he said, "Yes."

Governor smiled. "Alright then. You better listen close. You can believe me or you can think I'm a liar. I don't really care. As long as I get my food." Governor sat forward, legs crossed and hands clasped. "Dystopia is hell on earth." Alfred's eyes widened. "There is no police, no money, no food. Four to eight starving people live in every house, and the homes are so close you can hear the neighbors thru the walls. People fight, steal and even kill for as much as a scrap of food."

Alfred couldn't speak. It sounded too bad to be true. "Now for my own life. I am the third oldest in the house, and my older brother isn't the most responsible person you could find, and neither is that Prussian bastard." He smiled as he said this thought, showing he didn't really mean it. "So I come to Elysium and steal. On the nights I don't come here I'm getting in reward fights." Alfred looked about to ask a question but a pale hand stopped him. "Reward fights are organized matches. If you win, you get paid. Anyway, my brother has the only legal in the house and one of the other boys cheat at poker to make money, the Italian cooks whatever food we can bring home, and Anton- um the Spaniard is very good at conning people out of their money."

Alfred counted the boys in his head. "And the other boy? The one that ran from his family?" Governor winced. "He comes with me here when he isn't too sick. Almost all the money we get goes towards herbal remedies." Alfred frowns. "What does he have? Why don't you steal some medicine?" "Hospitals are a lot harder to break into than parties, Lucky. Besides, there isn't a doctor to tell us what's wrong with him. Giving him the wrong medicine could be worse than simple herbs and tea."

"What did you think Dystopia was like?" Governor was looking at Alfred questioningly. Alfred bit his lip before responding. "Well the teachers here always told us it wasn't the best place. It's used as a punishment for the parents that break the law, so they couldn't make it like the cities. But I've never heard anything like what you're saying." Governor was chuckling darkly. "Punishment for the parents? Are they the ones starving and freezing, fighting and stealing for their next meal? Dystopia punishes the kids whose parents made a mistake. Sound fair?"

"That's... wow. I never even thought..." Alfred wasn't sure he believed Governor. It seemed to ridiculous. "Did you get your answers? Can I go now?" Governor obviously knew Alfred didn't believe him. "I really need to get this food back to the boys or they'll get worried that I fell into a trap." He smiled crookedly. Alfred stared at the roll in his hands, suddenly guilty for asking anything in return for giving this unlucky patchwork family food. They needed it more than he did. "Yeah. Thank you." Governor got up and grabbed the second basket, leaving the one Alfred had given him first. And then Alfred spoke.

"One more thing." Governor turned around and raised an eyebrow, face expressionless. "I want to see it. Dystopia." The blonde said nothing for a moment before responding, "You are out of your mind. There is no way in hell." "Please. You don't have to help me, I already have a way out. All I need is clothes, a way to disguise myself and three friends." Governor rolled his eyes. "It's hard enough to get clothes for myself. How could I get any for you and three strangers? It's too dangerous for city boys anyway. Dystopia will tear you apart."

Alfred narrowed his eyes. "I'm going with or without your help. We already have a plan. Please. I'll bring more food." Governor shook his head. "Not in your life Lucky. Thanks for the food but I'm done dealing with you and your crazy schemes. If you want to go over the Wall and get yourself killed, be my guest. But I'm not helping you get it done." And then he was gone. Up into the rafter and to the roof before Alfred could even blink. He cursed himself for not convincing the Dystopian to help. Now they would really have to come up with rags on their own...

* * *

**2 pm- Dystopia **

Arthur ran back to Dystopia faster even than the night of the governor's party. He knew that if he slowed and thought about it he would turn back to help Alfred, promise to bring clothes, tell him his name. And he couldn't risk doing that. It would not only put the boys back home in danger, but Alfred and his friends as well. And for whatever reason, he didn't want to see Alfred in trouble. No, it was better that the Elysiums stayed in paradise, where they didn't have to face the world outside.

A block from home, Arthur slowed down. Alfred and his friends... wanted to come to Dystopia? No one ever chose to come there, not if they had a choice. Gilbert knew he had to give up his life in paradise to give his brother a chance at a good life. That didn't mean if a city official knocked on their door to say that he could come back to Elysium that Gilbert wouldn't jump at the offer. Any of them would. No one wanted to live in hell. So why did Alfred?

Why had Arthur lied about knowing Matthew? Arthur didn't trust Alfred yet. He didn't want him to know that Matthew was so close, closer than he could ever know. Mattie shouldn't have to see his brother if the guy turned out to be an arse (though he didn't seem to so far, though he was a little idiotic) and Alfred certainly didn't deserve to see his saint of a brother until Arthur was sure Mattie wouldn't get hurt. What would the lucky twin do if he found out his brother was the one that was sick beyond a cure? It had surprised Arthur that Alfred knew about Matthew at all. Many parents don't tell their kids about a twin on the outside. It surprised him even more that he was so sad when told Arthur didn't know Matthew.

Arthur spotted a clothesline in a neighbors yard. One shirt certainly wouldn't go amiss. And it looked big enough for one particular blue eyed Lucky...

* * *

**Same night- 2 hours later **

"And that's what happened." The boys had cooked up a few pieces of meat from the basket Arthur had brought back, the smell of cooking meat filling the small house. That night they ate like kings and listened to Arthur's new tale. "So are you going to help them?" Matthew was smiling slightly and laughed at Arthur's indignant scowl. "Help them commit suicide? I don't think so!" Antonio giggled and grabbed another apple slice. "Come on amigo. How can you pass up an opportunity to take a bunch of Luckies on the guilt trip of a life time?" "If I get caught-" Gilbert laughed. "You? Get caught? You've been sneaking in to Elysium for years and not once have you been caught. Well, except for last night..."

"Gil's right Arty. And this time ya won't even be taking anythin out. You'd be bringing something in." Seamus sipped at his wine, wincing at the unfamiliar taste. "Like you said. It's suicide. If they want to get themselves killed then why not help 'em? This Alfred seemed pretty adamant on doing this one way or another." Arthur sat back against the wall in their little shack, thinking over what everyone had said and deciding whether or not to help the idiotic Luckies or not.

* * *

**Five days later - 5 pm, Elysium**

Alfred waited every day for the boy he knew only as Governor to return. He had a feeling that thru the harsh outside, he was a kind person, one that would recognize that Alfred would be going to Dystopia with or without his help. Eventually he told Romano, Francis, and Kiku about meeting the boy from Dystopia at the governor's birthday.

"You met someone from Dystopia... and didn't tell us!?" They were all excited (though Romano pretended not to be) about the prospect of really going to the other side of the Wall. So they waited at the fabric factory every day with Alfred, hoping for a mess of blonde hair to show up with Dystopian clothes. Francis waited when he could but he was in medical school during the day, though he hadn't been allowed near the medicine in six months because he was 'on probation', which was ending the following week. Kiku finished the drug and told them they could head out within the week if they had disguises.

Alfred told them of what Governor had said of Dystopia. Ludwig and Romano seemed skeptical, but Kiku was nodding. "It would make sense that the place has fallen into disarray. There are so many people out there and certainly not enough food. I never thought it would be as bad as he says, but what reason would he have to lie about the circumstances he lives in?" "Maybe to get more food, moron." Romano was a rather pessimistic person. "Possibly. I suppose we'll see." No one said what they were thinking though; what if what Governor said was true? What if it was that bad?

Days passed and no sign of Governor appeared. Alfred began to worry that he had been wrong; that the boy had been serious that he wouldn't help him. At one point Romano got very worked up about all the waiting and hoping, storming off into the city. "He really wants to meet Feliciano, Alfred. He doesn't mean it when he calls you a lying jerk of a bastard." Alfred smiled tiredly at Kiku. That day would be the last they would wait. They were losing time and every day they waited the more likely Kiku would be caught with the stolen drugs.

As they left the warehouse something caught Alfred's eye. A now familiar shock of bleach blonde hair. Eyes wide, Alfred raced to the sight to find nothing- nothing but a pile of rags, enough for ten men, under a rock. A single piece of paper lay on the pile, brittle and old. Written on it in what appeared to be charcoal were the words, "Best I could do. Good luck. -Governor." Alfred smiled at Kiku, who had run up behind him, followed closely by Ludwig. He held up the clothes. "Who's ready to go to Dystopia?"


End file.
